| rosary | Origin: LL. Rosarium a string of beads, L. Rosarium a place planted with roses, rosa a rose: cf. F. Rosaire. See Rose. 1. A bed of roses, or place where roses grow. "Thick rosaries of scented thorn." 2. A series of prayers (see Note below) arranged to be recited in order, on beads; also, a string of beads by which the prayers are counted. "His idolized book, and the whole rosary of his prayers." (Milton) A rosary consists of fifteen decades. Each decade contains ten Ave Marias marked by small beads, preceded by a Paternoster, marked by a larger bead, and concluded by a Gloria Patri. Five decades make a chaplet, a third part of the rosary. 3. A chapelet; a garland; a series or collection, as of beautiful thoughts or of literary selections. "Every day propound to yourself a rosary or chaplet of good works to present to God at night." (Jer. Taylor) 4. A coin bearing the figure of a rose, fraudulently circulated in Ireland in the 13th century for a penny. <zoology> Rosary shell, any marine gastropod shell of the genus Monodonta. They are top-shaped, bright-coloured and pearly. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
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| rachitic rosary | A row of beading at the junction of the ribs with their cartilages, often seen in rachitic children. Synonym: beading of the ribs. (05 Mar 2000) |
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